#1Lincoln
Burleigh County · 4,493 peopleStrongest: safety A−, health A−·lowest: walkability C−
A−CostA−SafetyB+SchoolsA−HealthA−JobsC−WalkC−Hazards
Lincoln, #1 on this list · Photo: afiler · CC BY-SA 2.0North Dakota rankings · 2026
Best places to live in North Dakota
Lincoln ranks first of North Dakota’s 23 graded towns, with an A+: safety (A−) and health (A−) are its strongest grades; walkability (C−) is its lowest. 4 of the 23 (17%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns.
The overall grade, sorted: cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk, from Census, FBI, state, CDC, EPA and FEMA data. How grades work
#1A+
Hay Creek Township
Burleigh County · 4,380 peopleStrongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: hazard risk C−
BCost–SafetyB+SchoolsAHealthA+JobsC−WalkC−Hazards
Apple Creek Township
Burleigh County · 3,515 peopleStrongest: jobs & income A, health A−·lowest: walkability D
BCost–SafetyB+SchoolsA−HealthAJobsDWalkC−Hazards
Where they are: Five of the top 10 are in Burleigh County. The top small town (2,500–9,999 residents) is Lincoln, #1 overall.
All 23 towns
Overall score, highest first. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among every U.S. town of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbors on the list often share a letter. Each town links to its page, where the grade sheet shows every subject.
23 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownScoreGradeWhat drives it
1LincolnBurleigh County · 4,493 people71.4top 4.7%A+Strongest: safety A−, health A−·lowest: walkability C−
2Hay Creek TownshipBurleigh County · 4,380 people66.7top 13.0%AStrongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: hazard risk C−
3Apple Creek TownshipBurleigh County · 3,515 people66.3top 14.0%AStrongest: jobs & income A, health A−·lowest: walkability D
4Gibbs TownshipBurleigh County · 2,856 people64.5top 17.9%A−Strongest: health A, jobs & income A·lowest: walkability D
5WahpetonRichland County · 8,141 people61.4top 25.8%B+Strongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: safety C+
6Valley CityBarnes County · 6,430 people61.0top 26.8%B+Strongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk D
7West FargoCass County · 41,175 people59.5top 30.6%B+Strongest: health A, jobs & income A−·lowest: cost of living C
8BismarckBurleigh County · 77,963 people57.5top 36.0%BStrongest: health A, schools B+·lowest: hazard risk D
9Watford CityMcKenzie County · 6,378 people56.6top 38.5%BStrongest: hazard risk A, health A−·lowest: safety C−
10BeulahMercer County · 3,077 people56.4top 38.9%BStrongest: walkability A−, safety B+·lowest: schools C
11HoraceCass County · 7,001 people56.0top 40.1%BStrongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C−
12DickinsonStark County · 25,870 people54.7top 43.6%BStrongest: hazard risk A, health B+·lowest: safety C
13GraftonWalsh County · 4,023 people54.6top 43.7%BStrongest: cost of living A−, walkability B+·lowest: schools C
14MinotWard County · 47,308 people52.9top 48.7%B−Strongest: hazard risk A, health A−·lowest: schools C
15New TownMountrail County · 2,715 people52.6top 49.4%B−Strongest: safety A+, cost of living A·lowest: schools D
16JamestownStutsman County · 15,688 people50.3bottom 44.5%C+Strongest: walkability A−, schools B+·lowest: jobs & income C−
17MandanMorton County · 25,061 people48.9bottom 40.5%C+Strongest: health A−, jobs & income B+·lowest: safety C−
18FargoCass County · 136,275 people48.8bottom 40.3%C+Strongest: walkability A, health A·lowest: safety D
19Grand ForksGrand Forks County · 60,365 people47.9bottom 37.7%C+Strongest: walkability A, health A−·lowest: safety C−
20WillistonWilliams County · 29,522 people46.6bottom 34.4%CStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B+·lowest: schools D
21Devils LakeRamsey County · 7,333 people46.3bottom 33.7%CStrongest: walkability A, hazard risk A−·lowest: schools C−
22Minot AFBunincorporated, Ward County · 4,878 people45.1bottom 30.4%CStrongest: hazard risk A+, health A·lowest: cost of living D−
23Tatman TownshipWard County · 2,673 people36.3bottom 12.5%DStrongest: hazard risk A+, health B+·lowest: cost of living D−
Method
How this list is made
Each town’s overall grade blends seven livability grades: cost of living (weight 18), safety (18), schools (16), health (14), jobs & income (12), walkability (8) and hazard risk (4). A town needs 2,500+ residents and three of the first four. Letters are national, so an A here means the same as an A in any state; the list is the same towns in the same order, ranked within North Dakota. Towns without their own FBI figures are graded on the rest and their page says why.
Data years: crime 2023–2025 (FBI), Census ACS 2020–2024, CDC PLACES 2025, state school tests. How grades work
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the best place to live in North Dakota?
Lincoln (Burleigh County) ranks first of 23 graded towns, with an A+; safety (A−) and health (A−) are its strongest grades; walkability (C−) is its lowest. Hay Creek Township and Apple Creek Township follow.
What is the best small town in North Dakota?
Among towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents, Lincoln ranks first (A+), then Hay Creek Township and Apple Creek Township.
How are these towns ranked?
By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades from public data. The letter is national; the rank is within North Dakota. The full method is on How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade (23 in North Dakota). 46 smaller places have subject grades only; Every town is on the North Dakota page.
Go deeper
All North Dakota rankings →More North Dakota lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Most affordable towns23 towns · #1 New TownSafest towns16 towns · #1 New TownTowns with the best schools23 towns · #1 WahpetonHealthiest towns23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipBest towns for jobs & income23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipMost walkable towns23 towns · #1 Grand ForksTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk23 towns · #1 Tatman TownshipBest towns for the outdoors23 towns · #1 BismarckMost historic towns23 towns · #1 Valley CityTowns with the most civic life22 towns · #1 GraftonTowns with the least snow20 towns · #1 BeulahDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns20 towns · #1 MinotDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters24 towns · #1 DickinsonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers24 towns · #1 WillistonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers24 towns · #1 Devils LakeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes21 towns · #1 New TownDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns23 towns · #1 HoraceDescribed, no letters
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